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ShareKUWAIT: Several non-residential areas in Kuwait faced temporary power cuts Saturday after a shortage of fuel rendered power plants inoperable. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) feeding the plants was cut short after Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) gas liquefaction units went into complete shutdown due to an interruption of seawater supply, according to a KNPC statement published on KUNA. The water, which is provided by the Public Authority for Industry, is necessary for cooling gas liquefication units in the Ahmadi refinery. The shutdown affected gas supply across Kuwait, including power generation units in electricity and water desalination plants.
The Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy said it was “forced” to disconnect electricity Saturday afternoon from some parts of non-residential areas including Abdali, Wafra, Rai, Sulaibiya, Amghara, and Subhan as a precautionary measure to protect the integrity of the country’s electrical distribution network. Nearly two hours later, the ministry announced power was back in the affected areas. In a statement, the ministry apologized for “having to reduce the electrical loads in these areas.”
The seawater shortage happened at 7 am, leading KNPC to activate its emergency plan, the company said in a statement to KUNA without explaining the cause behind it or blaming the Public Authority for Industry for any shortcomings. It said the Public Authority for Industry was able to restore seawater supply at 8 am, after which the refinery gradually began to operate normally. The company praised “the level of technical coordination between all concerned authorities, which resulted in the restoration of normal work.”
Deputy CEO for Operations and official spokesperson of Kuwait Integrated Petroleum Industries Company (KIPIC) Ali Al-Ajmi said the company has rushed to meet the liquefied gas needs to fill the shortage resulting from the temporary interruption in gas supplies on Saturday morning. Ajmi affirmed in a statement to KUNA “the company’s commitment to meeting Kuwait’s needs for gas and its keenness to provide the network of power generation stations with its needs of low-sulfur fuel oil needed to operate these stations.” He said KIPIC was keen on supporting national efforts to ensure the regularity of the operation of power generation stations.
Kuwait has been grappling with electricity shortages all summer, much to the dismay of the people who rely on airconditioners to survive the scorching heat. In June, people were in disarray after the electricity ministry resorted to programmed power cuts across the country, including in residential areas, in what the ministry said were precautionary attempts to protect the stability of the power grid. The ministry blamed soaring temperatures for the power cuts, calling on the public to limit consumption between 11 am and 5 pm to ensure uninterrupted supply.
